Robert Fisk: They don’t blame al-Qaida. They blame Musharraf

bq.. So let’s run through this logic in the way that Inspector Ian Blair might have done in his policeman’s notebook before he became the top cop in London.

Question: Who forced Benazir Bhutto to stay in London and tried to prevent her return to Pakistan? Answer: General Musharraf.

Question: Who ordered the arrest of thousands of Benazir’s supporters this month? Answer: General Musharraf.

Question: Who placed Benazir under temporary house arrest this month? Answer: General Musharraf.

Question: Who declared martial law this month? Answer General Musharraf.

Question: who killed Benazir Bhutto?

Er. Yes. Well quite.

You see the problem? Yesterday, our television warriors informed us the PPP members shouting that Musharraf was a “murderer” were complaining he had not provided sufficient security for Benazir. Wrong. They were shouting this because they believe he killed her.

There are many discrepancies in the official statements which makes most of the country sure there was some government involvement in the murder – from washing down the crime scene, to not conducting an autopsy, which is mandatory in a criminal investigation of a murder, even in Pakistan. Of course, since Musharraf fired all the competent judges, there aren’t any left to see that the law is followed.

The video explains why.

From the “Washington Post”:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/31/AR2007123102493_pf.html

bq.. RAWALPINDI, Pakistan, Dec. 31 — Pakistani authorities have pressured the medical personnel who tried to save Benazir Bhutto’s life to remain silent about what happened in her final hour and have removed records of her treatment from the facility, according to doctors.

In interviews, doctors who were at Bhutto’s side at Rawalpindi General Hospital said they were under extreme pressure not to share details about the nature of the injuries that the opposition leader suffered in an attack here Dec. 27.